Spy Scandal-Stealing of Atomic Secrets

    The Stealing of Atomic Secrets - Part 2

Dr. Alan Nunn May

   Igor Gouzenko was removed with his family to a safe place. He had informed that the code names of the British scientists who leaked out information about the atom bomb were Alec and Golia. The western intelligence agencies intercepted a telegram from the Soviet embassy in Canada which informed Moscow that Alec was proceeding to London.

   It was immediately identified that this Alec was none other than Dr. Alan Nunn May. He was a passionate Communist. He worked at Tube Alloy Projects which was a code name for the atom bomb project. It was decided to shift the atomic research project to Canada for better safety. Then it facilitated better co-ordination with the American project. Dr. Alan Nunn May was in contact with Colonel Zabotin, the GRU officer in Ottawa. For two and half years after 1943, Dr. Alan Nunn May made frequent visits between Chalk River and Montreal. He also visited the American project at the Argonne laboratory in Chicago. Dr. Alan Nunn May was supplied information about atomic energy and Uranium. He gave the Russians a report about the A-bomb trial at New Mexico and also supplied a sample of Uranium-235. He was arrested in March 1946 and sentenced to ten years imprisonment.

   Another principal character in this drama was Emil Julius Klaus Fuchs. He revealed to the Soviet Union details of construction of atomic and plutonium bombs. It is said that he was involved in making the Russians catch up with research in atomic weapons in the western countries. He was also employed in Tube Alloy Projects. He used to make reports to Simon Kremer of the military attaché’s department at the Soviet embassy in London.

   He was sent to New York to co-operate with the Americans on their atomic project. Anatoli Yakovlev, the Russian spymaster put him in touch with another spy Harry Gold.

Emil Julius Klaus Fuchs

Harry Gold worked as a courier with Julius Klaus Fuchs for two and half years. Julius Klaus Fuchs used to hand over the detailed reports to Harry Gold, who transmitted them to Moscow. Julius Klaus Fuchs provided him with neatly written notes, in his own hand, about test results, methods of manufacture and guidance on theory.

   Julius Klaus Fuchs returned to England in 1946 and kept himself busy in his work at Atomic Energy Establishment at Harwell. It was only in 1949 that he was suspected of treachery. William Skardon of MI-5 was able to extract a full confession from him. Julius Klaus Fuchs was sentenced to fourteen years imprisonment, but was released after nine years. After his release he went to East Germany. He became director of a nuclear research institute at Dresden.

Ethel and Julius Rosenberg

   The husband and wife team of spies involved in this scandal, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were sentenced to death in America. Their conviction was base on the evidence of Harry Gold, the professional Soviet agent and David Greenglass, the brother of Ethel Rosenberg. It is said that David Greenglass gave the evidence against his sister to save his wife. The Rosenbergs were children of Jewish immigrants.  They were ardent Communists. Julius Rosenberg worked as “Principal agent” and was recruiting agents on behalf of Anatoli Yakovlev. It was alleged that the Rosenbergs supplied the Russians a lot of information regarding the atom bomb. The case aroused worldwide interest and many believed that they were not guilty and in any case did not merit death sentence. It was argued that they played a minor role as compared to Dr. Alan Nunn May and Emil Julius Klaus Fuchs and many others.

Want to read the first part of this article...   Click Here

If you want to read more about spies...          Click Here